Finding a new job or internship can feel daunting Ė all at once youíre trying to balance your LinkedIn profile, your resume, and how you represent yourself. With so many plates spinning, itís hard to put your best foot forward and still make sure youíre checking all the boxes to land your dream job.

Thatís why weíve partnered with Microsoft to take the heat off by outlining resume practices that will having hiring managers sold, every time. Thereís no one-size-fits-all formula for crafting the perfect resume, but there is some built-in intelligence in Microsoft Word called Resume Assistant that can do the heavy lifting for you.

Resume Assistant does exactly what it sounds like: It helps take the guesswork out of creating your resume so the whole process is that much less frustrating. You can use it right from the resume template in Word, while the built-in intelligence works on the backend to help articulate your skills and experiences in the best way. We know, itís pretty much a miracle!

Whether youíre pursuing a career in journalism or engineering, or just trying to find your first internship, hereís how Resume Assistant can help you differentiate your professional experiences and make them stand out from the candidate pool.

Step One: Leverage Your LinkedIn Profile

Your LinkedIn profile is the best way to keep your skills up to date and visible to your network, but a resume is still an important part of the recruitment process. Did you know that when youíre scouting for jobs, your resume will be reviewed by humans and automated application systems, screening and looking for potential matches? Itís true Ė and that can feel like a ton of added pressure.

Resume Assistant can better leverage your LinkedIn so that you align with those keywords hiring managers have on their radar. Basically, it scours LinkedIn for the skills that recruiters in your industry are looking for Ė plus it gathers insight into how people with similar roles are describing their skills Ė then suggests ways to communicate your resume in a way thatís going to get you noticed. Your experiences will have never sounded better!

Step Two: Customize Your Resume for a Specific Role

Even if youíre applying to two jobs in a similar field, you always want to tailor your resume for each different company and position. Hiring managers donít want to read something generic; they want to see your passion and genuine interest for the role. They want to see YOU, a real person Ė and that authenticity doesnít shine through if youíre using the same template on every application!

Feeling stuck on how to differentiate your resume every time? Resume Assistant pulls information from real job postings so that you can frame your skills to meet the desired job qualifications. Itís the ultimate formula for getting your creative juices flowing and pulling your brain out of that resume rut!

Step Three: If Youíre Stuck, Get a Second Opinion

Sometimes having a second pair of eyes is the biggest aid. If youíve built, scrapped, and re-built your resume again and again but canít seem to finish a final draft youíre happy with, just use the ProFinder feature to connect with experts and get their insight. ProFinder is LinkedInís network of freelance career coaches that can help with everything from resume writing to interviewing. Simply submit a project request and a qualified professional will counsel you through the resume speed bumps giving you trouble. (Seriously, itís that easy.)

Resume Assistant is currently available to Office 365 subscribers on Windows, and you can learn more about how to get started here. It truly provides that extra boost you need to take your resume to the next level, but just remember: YOU have a unique experience thatís worth sharing. Donít be afraid to utilize whatever tools available to make your resume sound as compelling as you are!